Machine gun package



Oct 14, 1947- c. E. WARING El'AL 2,423,861

MACHINE GUN PACKAGE Filed March 22, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l M2; 4! 4,1JMJJK I mvmons, www $141,

Oct. 14, 1947- c. E. WARING' ETAL 2,423,861

I MACHINE GUN PACKAGE Filed larch 22, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i MA I i w Ag Q 3 A7////\: 1

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Patented Oct. 14, 1947 MACHINE GUN memes Charles E. Waring and Frank W.Gerard, Oakwood, Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Dayton,Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application March 22, 1943, Serial No.480,047

8 Claims. (01. 312-31) This invention relates to means for crating amachine gun for shipment and storage.

It is an object of this invention to provide a package unit which willprevent moisture from coming into contact with the gun during shipmentand storage.

A further object of this invention is to provide a low cost package foruse in shipping and storing a machine gun which eliminates the need forpacking the gun in heavy grease such as was formerly done.

Another object of this invention is to reduce the amount of time andlabor required to pack and unpack a machine gun and to place it incondition for use on the battlefield.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved packageunit in which a given quantity of moisture absorbing medium is placedwithin a substantially moisture vapor proof envelope for removing themoisture initially present in the envelope and for removing the smallamount of moisture entering the envelope during shipment and storage.

A further object of this invention is to provide a visual indicator forindicating the pres-.

ence of moisture in the sealed package.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearlyshown.

In the drawings: 1

Fig. 1 is an elevational view with parts broken away showing a desiccantpackage surrounding the barrel of a machine gun prior to its insertioninto the moisture proof envelope;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view with parts of the wrappers broken away soas to show the various wrappers which enclose the machine gun; I

Fig. 3 is an elevational view showing the wrapped machine gun mounted ina cradle prior to its insertion into a wooden shipping container;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view with parts broken away to show the cradleand the machine gun disposed within the shipping crate;

Fig. 5 is an end view showing the machine gun and cradle inserted in theshipping crate;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view showing the envelope sealing washer.

Prior to our invention the Government required that in crating machineguns for shipment, the guns had to be completely covered inside andoutside with a heavy grease which served to protect the gun from rustingduring shipment and storage. This method not only required the use of alarge amount of grease which was badly neededfor other purposes but alsorequired that the recipients spend a day or more in removing the greasefrom the gun prior to placing it in condition for use. In accordancewith our invention the gun is carefully wrapped in a substantiallymoisture vapor proof package and a quantity of dehydrating material isplaced within the package so as to absorb any moisture which might causerusting of the gun.

Referring now to Fig. 1, reference numeral Ill designates generally adesiccant package which consists of an outer cylindrical cardboard tubel2 and an inner cardboard tube M which is slightly larger than thebarrel ii of the machine gun which is designated generally by thereference numeral I8. The space between the tubes contains a suitabledehydrating substance 20 such as silica gel. The space between the tubesis sealed at each end by means of a cardboard washer such as the washer22 shown in Fig. l. The package I0 is held between the washers 24 bymeans of a clamp 26. The cardboard allows the moisture to passtherethrough freely but is impervious to dust and the silica gel.

The machine gun with the desiccant-package Ili surrounding the barrelthereof in a manner indicated hereinabove is then wrapped in a knittedstockinet 30. This assembly is then inserted within the moistureresistant envelope 32 which is preferably made out of polyvinylidenechloride known as Saran." This material allows very little moisture topass therethrough, is transparent. and is quite strong. The open end ofthe envelope through which the gun is inserted is mechanically sealed bypassing it through a lead washer 33 which is flattened out so as totightly grip the Saran as shown in Fig. 7. After this envelope is fullysealed the assembly is inserted within an outer knitted stockinet 34which serves to protect the envelope 32 from injury. The inner stockinet30 also serves to protect the envelope 32 in that it prevents theenvelope 32 from coming in contact with the sharp comers of the gun.

The envelope 32 could also be made from metal foil such as lead oraluminum foil coated with Butvar which is a polyvinyl butyral plasticmaterial. When using this latter material the envelope could be heatsealed rather than mechanically sealed.

The amount of silica gel used depends upon the length of time the gun isrequired to remain in the envelope, the material oi the envelope, andthe environmental moisture conditions, Four pounds of silica gel,for'example, will absorb the moisture entering'a Saran envelope over aperiod of one year under rather humid conditions.

A cradle 35 is used for supporting the wrapped gun within the outer casedesignated generally by the reference numeral 36. A pair of mountingpins 38 which pass through the holes 40 in the machine gun serve tosupport the gun within the cradle 35. The pins 38 pass through thestockinets 30 and 34 as well as the envelope 32.

In order to prevent leakage of moisture through the envelope at thepoint where the pins 38 pass through the envelope, special washers areprovided as shown in Fig. 6. Thus a rubber or rubher-like washer 42 isplaced on each of the pins just after the first stockinet 30 has beenplaced over the gun. A second steel washer 44 is placed on each pinafter the envelope 32 has been placed around the gun. A nut 46 whichmay, for example, be a speed nut is placed on the pin 38 so as to pressthe washers 42 and 44 tightly a ainst opposite sidesof the envelope 32.The nut 46 is of the type which has prongs projecting in the onedirection (See Fig. 6) which allow sliding the nut on the pin 38 towardsthe right as viewed in Fig. 6 but restrict movement to the left due tothe prongs gripping the pin. A rub- .ber or rubber-like mounting bushing48 is placed on the end of each of the shafts and these in turn fitWithin the holes 50 in the cradle 35.

In order to make it possible to check the condition of each packagebefore shipment, during shipping or during subsequent storage, we use ahumidity indicator tube 52 containing a moisture sensitive material,such as silica gel impregnated with a chemical such as cobalt chloridewhich changes color as the moisture content changes.

This tube is placed directly between the inner stockinet 3D and thetransparent envelope 32 adjacent the end of the gun where it may be'inspected without breaking the transparent envelope 32 merely byremoving the end of the shipping crate and tearing a hole 54 in theouter stockinet 34. If desired the hole 54 may be made in the stockinet34 when the gun is first wrapped so as to reduce the danger of somecareless individual puncturing the Saran envelope when tearing open theouter stockinet 34 for inspecting the indicator.

By virtue of this simple indicator arrangement the guns in storage maybe inspected from time to time to ascertain whether or not there is anyneed for replacing the moisture absorbing materiaL' Normally the amountof moisture absorbing material inserted in the desiccant package ID issuirlcient to absorb all of the moisture which can pass through thewalls of the envelope 32 within the time elapsing from the date ofpacking to the date of unpacking, whereby the need for replacing orregenerating the moisture absorbing material is eliminated except inthose instances where the guns are placed in storage for an abnormallylong period of time.

The cradle 35 may be inserted into the crate 36 from the one end. Thecradle 35 is held in place within the crate 36 by the end walls 60 and62' of the crate and by means of cleats 64 and 66 secured to the insidewalls of the crate as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Protective covering for shipping and storing machine guns comprisingin combination, a first cylindrical tube member slidable onto the barrelof the gun, a second cylindrical tube member larger in diameter thansaid first tube member surrounding said first tube member so as to forma desiccant chamber between the two tube members, desiccant materialdisposed within said chamber, means for preventing the escape of des-,

iccant from the ends of said space including at least one closure memberthrough which the barrel of the gun is adapted to project. at least oneof said members being suiilciently porous to allow passage of moisturetherethrough, and a substantially moisture-proof envelope forsurrounding said desiccant chamber and the entire gun.

2. Means for packing a machine gun for shipment and storage comprisingin combination, a first mounting pin adapted to pass through a firstportion of a gun and having projecting ends, a second mounting pinadapted to pass through a second portion of said gun and havingprojecting ends, a substantially water-proof envelope adapted to enclosethe gun, openings in said envelope through which said projecting endsextend, gaslret means for sealing said openings, a box, means adaptedfor supporting said pins within said box including means for engagingsaid projecting ends so as to support said envelope out of contact withthe walls of said box.

3. Means for packing a machine gun for shipment and storage comprisingin combination, a substantially moisture proof transparent envelopeadapted to enclose a gun, an opaque stockinet protecting saidtransparent envelope and having an observation opening adjacent one end,a desiccant container within said envelope comprising a tube memberadapted to slide onto the barrel of a gun, and means cooperating withsaid tube member forming a desiccant chamber and adapted to extendsubstantially the full length of a gun barrel, and a moisture indicatorwithin said envelope adjacent said opening so as to be visible throughsaid opening.

4. Means for packing a machine gun for shipment and storage comprisingin combination, a substantially moisture proof transparent envelopeadapted to enclose a gun, an opaque stockinet protecting saidtransparent envelope and having an observation opening adjacent one end,a desiccant container within said envelope, a moisture indicator withinsaid envelope adjacent said opening so as to be visible through saidopening, and a crate enclosing said stockinet and envelope and having aremovable end wall adjacent said observation opening whereby themoisture condition within the envelope may be determined withoutremoving the envelope and its contents from the crate and withouttearing open the moisture proof envelope. v

5. Means for packing a machine gun for shipment and storage comprisingin combination, a substantially moisture proof transparent envelopeadapted to enclose a gun, an opaque stockinet protecting saidtransparent envelope and having an observation opening adjacent one end.a desiccant container within said envelope, a moisture indicator withinsaid envelope adjacent said opening so as to be visible through saidopening, a crate enclosing said envelope and its contents and having aremovable end wall adjacent said observation opening whereby themoisture condi tion within the envelope may be determined withoutremoving the envelope from the crate and without tearing open themoisture proof envelope, and means adapted to mount said envelope andits contents within said crate so as to prevent the stockinet and thetransparent envelope from contacting the crate during shipment.

6. Means for packing a machine gun or the like for shipment and storagecomprising in combination, a transparent polyvinylidene chlorideenvelope into which a gun or the like may be inserted through an endopening, means for closing said end opening comprising a lead ring whichwhen flattened out tightly grips the polyvinylidene chloride adjacentsaid opening and thereby seals said envelope against the admission ofmoisture through said opening, an opaque stockinet surrounding saidenvelope and having an observation opening therein intermediate'the endsthereof and means for holding closed the ends of said stockinet.

7. A hermetically sealed package comprising a polyvinylidene chlorideenvelope adapted to be gathered at one end for closing the envelope. anda lead band adapted to surround said gathered end portion, said leadband, when flattened, serving to tightly squeeze the gathered endportion of the polyvinylidene so as to seal the end of the en velopeagainst the passage of moisture, handle means for supporting saidenvelope comprising pin means passing through one wall 01' saidenvelope, a yieldable washer carried by said pin means on one side ofsaid wall and a rigid washer carried by said pin means on the other sideoi said wall, and means for urging said washers toward one anotherwhereby said yieldablewasher tightly engages said pin means and the wallof the envelope.

6 8. A hermetically sealed package comprising a polyvinylidene chlorideenvelope adapted to be gathered at one end for closing the envelope, anda lead band adapted to surround said gathered end portion, said leadband, when flattened, serving to tightly squeeze the gathered endportion of the polyvinylidene so as to seal the end of the envelopeagainst the passage of moisture.

CHARLES E. WARING.

FRANK W. GERARD.

REFERENCES crrEn The following references are of record in the NumberName Date 1,763,682 Wallace June 17, 1930 1,962,177 Dobson June 12, 19342,283,867 Flosdorf et al May 19, 1942 2,184,166 Rape Dec. 19, 19392,179,864 Scott Nov. 14, 1939 903,161 Barnes Nov. 10, 1908 2,156,357Simpson May 2, 1939 1,761,969 Chalmers June 3, 1930 2,168,015 CalvertAug. 1, 1939 1,691,379 Christ, Jr. Nov. 13, 1928 2,300,259 Kueppers Oct.27, 1942 2,304,591 Pape et al -L.-- Dec. 8, 1942 2,124,231 Kittredge etal July 19, 1938 1,257,628 Murphy Feb. 26, 1918 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 54,867 Switzerland Dec. 13, 1910

